Johannesburg - Who doesn’t love Lego?
It’s a lot more than just about building houses from fun little coloured bricks. The concept has expanded significantly, with the Danish toymaker producing everything from motorised toy kits to movie franchises.
And now, Lego’s newest development should raise the eyebrows of classic car enthusiasts.
Available as a 1077-part Lego puzzle, the iconic Mini is sold under the toymaker’s Creator Expert range of products and promises “painstaking attention to detail”. Based on the car produced from August 1997 to July 1998 to mark the 40th anniversary of the original, the model, when fully assembled, is 25cm long, 14cm wide and 11cm high, and is finished in typical Mini British Racing Green.
Other little throwbacks to the classic include the roof, exterior mirror caps and bonnet stripes finished in white, the checked pattern on the seats and the additional headlamps on the radiator grille. The model’s wheels, bumpers, door hinges, and tail lights reflect the design of the original, too.
In terms of functionality, the doors, bonnet and tailgate can be opened, providing hobbyists with a view of the detailed interior. The steering wheel (right-hand drive, of course), gear lever, handbrake, and back and head-rests are all movable, while in the boot you’ll find a full-sized spare and packed picnic basket complete with blanket.
And yes, there’s a transversely mounted four-cylinder engine under the bonnet.
As with most products of Lego’s Creator Expert series, the recommended age for the classic Mini Lego set is 16 and above, with no special tools – or a driver’s licence for that matter – necessary to construct the model.
One for the Christmas list, we reckon.